Well, the info concerning Trofimov was from February... No disrespect to fauniera as he was obviously only trying to help. But if anyone has more updated info please share. And thanks fauniera for the update on Intxausti; anyone knows if he has any contract offers for 2018?

Biggest leason of the year: thrifty picks increasing their score by several multiples are nice, but unless you get the decisions on the three-four most expensive riders rights it really doesn't count for anything

Hey all, just looking at the upcoming schedule, and here's how it looks like the end of season will shake out:

This update (to October 15th) - Turkey and a few 1.1 racesNext update (to October 22nd) - last Europe 1.1, Japan Cup, Guangxi stages but not GC (done on 24th)October 29th week - Guangxi GC and first few stages of HainanNovember 5th week - Hainan GCNovember 12th week - Tour of Fuzhou (as far as I can tell, last .1 or above race and therefore the end of the season for the game)

I don't expect much beyond Guangxi (beyond now, maybe even) to affect the overall in huge ways, but there can still be weekly wins, Green Jersey points, and some shuffling up and down the general as the season plays out. But just to be clear, the official wrapup will be after November 12th; a couple of weeks later (by the start of December) I hope to have the post for next year up and we can start this thing again!

Hi everyone, I'm travelling an have been stuck in an unexpected non-internet zone. Only have enough access right now to come on and say that the update may take until Thursday to get out, I know it's the end of the season but pardon the delay.

So as mentioned in previous posts, we are in the denouement phase of the season. The Tour of Turkey, which attained WorldTour status but then changed places on the calendar and only attracted a bare handful of WT teams, took place this week. Third-tier WT points were on offer, however, and with the rosters thinned mostly to those who had a disappointing season, those coming back from injury, and those who don't have much experience but want to prove something going into the off-season, it creates a mixed bunch for the weekly scoring.

It's not the highest-scoring of weeks, but there is still enough variety that teams are clearly separated (the first tie in the standings is for 25th place). The week goes to Brullnux, who finally has a big payoff for picking Edward Theuns (one of 14 teams to do so) - Theuns has had a few bright spots this season, but this week's 142 point haul in Turkey is by far his most consistent and promising result since his big injury at the TdF last year. And his 645 point return on 405 makes him a more pleasing pick than he was a week ago. The WT-bound Dani Martinez also has a haul that helps Brullnux (and 13 other teams), scoring 113 points to bring his total to 217 at a cost of 87.

laarsland grabs second place as one of Martinez's other holders; laarsland's main scorer this week was actually unique pick Jesper Hansen with 163, but Brullnux squeezed out the win with a few riders scoring 20-30 points on top of the main 2. Guybrush slots into third with a totally different set of contributors, including Moreno Hofland, Yonder Godoy, Jarlinson Pantano and Ilya Koshevoy.

Brullnux takes double honours, and rote_laterne (riding the Theuns-Martinez train) and CraZyCaLL (who has only Martinez and a few 20-ish pointers, but is in a fairly tight section of the standings) tie for second, each jumping 8 places.

No movement at the top, but ItalianGigolo bursts into the picture (I've listed teams that could take the lead with 45 points for a weekly win) by scoring big for a third straight week. With 45 points two weeks ago for the win, 30 points for third last week, and another 26 this week, that team is on a serious run. And most impressively, they seem to be getting points from all sides - this week it is unique picks Fausto Masnada (127 points) and (!!!) Davide Rebellin (60 points) that fuel the high placing. No one else near the top scores any points, but it'll be obscure picks like those that will flip this competition on its head, if anything does. Otherwise, Blues in the bottle has it sewn up.Top 10 Overall

The trophy is at the engravers, and they are starting to think about how to stylize the 'f' to commemorate this year's winner... it's not over yet, but with very little action left, fauniera extends the lead they took over recently by another 43 points. The podium is pretty locked up but there is a surprising amount of movement lower down in the top 10, with tom_jelte having a huge week to jump a few spots (top 10 on the week, 222 points) and Hugo Koblet having a good one too. No ins and outs of the top 10, but there's definitely still room for some movement.

Up next, Japan Cup and some stages from Guangxi! We are winding down, softly.

Thanks skidmark. The biggest danger right now is Taaramäe, who has good form (12th in Milano-Torino) and who should like the parcours of the Tour of Guangxi. Unfortunately Dillier doesn't seem to have any form, so i don't expect to score any points in China.

What a pick Marco Canola would've been. I did briefly consider him, but I can't really brag about being close to picking him.

The big question for me is can Vorganov save my top 10 spot in the Tour of Fuzhou? I'm likely to overtake Hakkie2 (11th) because of Gaviria, but Blues in the Bottle (10th) seems out of reach. I'd need the extremely unlikely scenario of Vorganov Mareczko-ing the Tour of Fuzhou, I guess. Was secretely hoping Gav could limit his losses today to achieve a respectable GC position to be in a better place compared to del1962 (9th), who I'll have to take aim at leapfrogging for a back-to-back top 10 finish in this game.

Squire wrote:What a pick Marco Canola would've been. I did briefly consider him, but I can't really brag about being close to picking him.

The big question for me is can Vorganov save my top 10 spot in the Tour of Fuzhou? I'm likely to overtake Hakkie2 (11th) because of Gaviria, but Blues in the Bottle (10th) seems out of reach. I'd need the extremely unlikely scenario of Vorganov Mareczko-ing the Tour of Fuzhou, I guess. Was secretely hoping Gav could limit his losses today to achieve a respectable GC position to be in a better place compared to del1962 (9th), who I'll have to take aim at leapfrogging for a back-to-back top 10 finish in this game.

Squire wrote:What a pick Marco Canola would've been. I did briefly consider him, but I can't really brag about being close to picking him.

The big question for me is can Vorganov save my top 10 spot in the Tour of Fuzhou? I'm likely to overtake Hakkie2 (11th) because of Gaviria, but Blues in the Bottle (10th) seems out of reach. I'd need the extremely unlikely scenario of Vorganov Mareczko-ing the Tour of Fuzhou, I guess. Was secretely hoping Gav could limit his losses today to achieve a respectable GC position to be in a better place compared to del1962 (9th), who I'll have to take aim at leapfrogging for a back-to-back top 10 finish in this game.

I'm hoping to overtake you back in Hainan though.

Oh, I didn't realise you had two Wilier riders. I'm not sure if any of Martinez or Koshevoy are riding in Hainan though. I thought I read somewhere that Martinez ended his season in Turkey.

Squire wrote:What a pick Marco Canola would've been. I did briefly consider him, but I can't really brag about being close to picking him.

The big question for me is can Vorganov save my top 10 spot in the Tour of Fuzhou? I'm likely to overtake Hakkie2 (11th) because of Gaviria, but Blues in the Bottle (10th) seems out of reach. I'd need the extremely unlikely scenario of Vorganov Mareczko-ing the Tour of Fuzhou, I guess. Was secretely hoping Gav could limit his losses today to achieve a respectable GC position to be in a better place compared to del1962 (9th), who I'll have to take aim at leapfrogging for a back-to-back top 10 finish in this game.

I'm hoping to overtake you back in Hainan though.

Oh, I didn't realise you had two Wilier riders. I'm not sure if any of Martinez or Koshevoy are riding in Hainan though. I thought I read somewhere that Martinez ended his season in Turkey.

Yes, but I am hopeful for Koshevoy. He appeared to be improving in Turkey. Anyway, doesn't really matter. I needed Konig to shine in Guanxi to overtake BITB.

Squire wrote:What a pick Marco Canola would've been. I did briefly consider him, but I can't really brag about being close to picking him.

The big question for me is can Vorganov save my top 10 spot in the Tour of Fuzhou? I'm likely to overtake Hakkie2 (11th) because of Gaviria, but Blues in the Bottle (10th) seems out of reach. I'd need the extremely unlikely scenario of Vorganov Mareczko-ing the Tour of Fuzhou, I guess. Was secretely hoping Gav could limit his losses today to achieve a respectable GC position to be in a better place compared to del1962 (9th), who I'll have to take aim at leapfrogging for a back-to-back top 10 finish in this game.

I'm hoping to overtake you back in Hainan though.

Oh, I didn't realise you had two Wilier riders. I'm not sure if any of Martinez or Koshevoy are riding in Hainan though. I thought I read somewhere that Martinez ended his season in Turkey.

Yes, but I am hopeful for Koshevoy. He appeared to be improving in Turkey. Anyway, doesn't really matter. I needed Konig to shine in Guanxi to overtake BITB.

So Koshevoy is confirmed for Hainan. I think I'll be slightly ahead of you after the upcoming update, so it'll come down to Koshevoy vs Vorganov for 11th place (as none of us can overtake anyone else at this point). But as you say, it doesn't really matter, as none of us are called Louis Meintjes.

The last WorldTour race of the year is... not quite in the bag, as far as the CQ game goes. The latest CQ update goes until Sunday October 22nd, which includes the GC from Taihu Lake, the Japan Cup, and most of the stages but not the GC from Guangxi. Still some points to be had out there, as our weekly winner can attest.

Only 3 teams over 200 points this week, but the top 2 were well ahead of the rest, and it was a close one. LukasCPH takes the week with 325 points, and a collection of riders that is of the type to pick up points at the end of the year (that is to say, an assorted group of rare picks). Lukas picked up points from Taihu-winning Jakub Mareczko (3 teams, 156 points), Taihu runner up Guillaume Boivin (unique pick, 90 points) and Taihu 7th place finisher Serghei Tvetcov (6 teams, 40 points). Oh, and 39 points from Tim Wellens (2 teams), which might just net Lukas another high finish next week. Notice anyone missing in there? Runner-up Josedin was actually the best-placed team with the popular Gaviria (117 points, 52 teams), and was one of the few other teams with Mareczko as well as Tvetcov. Different approaches to a close finish! Magnumpti took the honors of third place, on the backs of Mareczko and a couple of others.

The tail end of the season sees the standings pretty settled, but there's still some movement to be had. Lukas comes out on top again here, but merengues scores a tie for first as well, moving up six places on the back of Gaviria and some help from Walscheid. rote_laterne and vroome.exe tie for the podium in this ranking, each moving up 5 spots.

Good news for Blues in the bottle and bad news for those who like exciting competition - their team scored 8 more points this week to pull away a bit more and make it look less and less likely that anyone can make it close. Four other teams are still within a weekly win of the top of the chart, but there aren't many weeks left. Weekly winner LukasCPH has Wellens and will therefore do well next week, but they're only at 83 points. Shout out to tom-jelte, who has had double-digit points three weeks in a row to move into 8th in this competition.Top 10 Overall

The race for top spot holds steady, with each of the top 2 getting identical points from Gaviria and Pelucchi. Third place GP Blanco gains 28 points, and now-4th tom-jelte gains 48, but that is too little to make a dent in the top 2. tom-jelte, Hugo Koblet and Blues in the bottle make impressive late-season runs to move up a spot, but 11th place Squire is 230 points out of the top 10, so this table might be solidifying. This week gives us the GC of Guangxi, and then it's the last HC race (Hainan) starting this week and ending next, and the last .1 race (Fuzhou) after that.